By DANNY O'NEIL, SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Published 10:00 pm, Friday, January 13, 2006

The resounding success of the Seahawks' season can be measured in decibels at Qwest Field this afternoon.

It was signified with the sound of one voice Friday morning when Seahawks owner Paul Allen, one of the world's richest men and one of the NFL's quietest owners, was interviewed by Mitch Levy on KJR-AM.

"The fan enthusiasm and intensity has been incredible," Allen said during the interview. "And I'm sure we're going to see every ounce, every decibel of that tomorrow."

Allen is not as visible as someone like Washington owner Daniel Snyder, but don't mistake that for indifference. Allen e-mailed team CEO Tod Leiweke earlier this week, asking what color the towels were that will be given away at today's game.

For the record, they will be off-white.

Allen's interview with Levy lasted more than 10 minutes. It wasn't unexpected as it was arranged in advance, but it was close to unprecedented. Allen has seldom been available for interviews since purchasing the Seahawks in 1997. The was his first one-on-one radio interview.

Levy asked about the departure of Bob Whitsitt, who was fired as Seahawks president last January.

"Well, all those decisions are certainly serious and tough decisions," Allen said of Whitsitt's departure. "That was something where I had been talking to various people in my organization, various people in the Seahawks organization for some period of time about whether we needed to go a different direction.

"I talked to Mike Holmgren after the season was over, and I thought about it a lot, and I decided that was a decision I had to make."

Holmgren was hired in 1999, and Allen has stuck with Holmgren despite criticism of the coach's tenure.

"I guess that's one of my hallmarks is that kind of patience," Allen said.

"Mike is a fabulous, great coach and it was incumbent on us as an organization to have the right people to work with Mike to take the organization to the next level."

Those complements would be Leiweke, hired 2003, and Tim Ruskell, hired as president last February.

Allen was asked about any consideration of extending Holmgren's contract, which runs through the 2006 season.

"Once the season is over, we'll get into that in a very serious way," Allen said. "Everyone in the organization is completely and totally focused on the game tomorrow at this point."

Allen flashed a sense of humor when Levy said Seattle had one request: That Allen return coach Nate McMillan, whom Allen hired to coach his NBA team in Portland after McMillan had played or coached with the Sonics the previous 19 seasons.

"I don't think that's a Seahawks-related matter there," Allen said.

Allen's eyes were focused on today's divisional playoff game. His ears for that matter, too.

"I would like to thank the fans for their incredible support this year," Allen said.